SOMERSET APPLE COUPE

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves 4

I’ve been a huge fan of Julian Temperley (of the Somerset Cider Brandy Company) for many years and pay tribute to him and his apples on our menus. His cider, cider brandy, Pomona, Kingston Black and cherries in apple eau de vie are scattered across our menus and drinks lists: this dessert celebrates the fruit.

I used to goto a local orchard with my grandfather in apple season and he would carefully store the fruit in wooden boxes between layers of newspaper to get us through the winter months.

If you can’t get your hands on Temperley cherries in apple eau de vie, then use jarred morello cherries and spike them with a little cider brandy or eau de vie.

INGREDIENTS

– 1 cooking apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

– 1 tbsp caster sugar

– a little cider brandy

– 20 or so Somerset morello cherries in apple eau de vie

– 1 tsp cornflour, mixed

with a little cold water For the fritters

– 50-60ml Somerset cider

– 60g self-raising flour (I use gluten-free)

– 1 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for dusting – 1 well-flavoured eating apple

– vegetable oil, for

deep-frying

– 4 balls of vanilla ice cream

METHOD

Put the cooking apple in a pan with the sugar and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the apple softens, then coarsely mash it with a splash of cider brandy and transfer to a bowl. Leave to cool.

Put the juice from the cherries into a saucepan and add the same volume of water. Bring to a simmer, add enough of the cornflour to thicken, then simmer very gently for another minute. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then add the cherries.

You can do these first two stages in advance and leave in the fridge.

Whisk the cider – as much as you need – into the flour with the sugar to form a thick batter. Peel, core, halve, then slice the eating apple into rounds.

Preheat about 8cm of oil to 160-180C (use a temperature probe) in a large, deep, heavy pan or electric deep-fat fryer.

Dust the slices of apple in a little flour, shake off the excess, then dip 4 or 5 slices at a time into the batter and drop them into the hot fat, turning them with a slotted spoon so they colour evenly.

When they are golden all over, remove them from the oil and drain on some kitchen paper. Repeat with the rest of the slices. Dust them with a little caster sugar while they are still hot.

To serve, spoon the mashed cooking apple into coupe glasses or small bowls, put a scoop or two of ice cream on top, tuck in the fried apples and spoon over the cherries.